Congratulations to Dr. Chad Ellis of Chino Valley, who was the Grand Prize Winner of Sunup Rotary's Rubber Duck Derby, which we held at Watson Lake on May 5th. Dr. Ellis is shown here proudly displaying his golden trophy.
The Solutions Business
PDG Ray Sanford
Rotary Club of San Juan Capistrano
Being part of Rotary isn't just about writing checks or raising funds (though those are important too), it's about rolling up our sleeves and working together to create innovative solutions. Rotary is so much more than just a fundraising arm for non-profits or NGOs.
Sure, fundraising is a vital aspect of what we do, but it's not the sole purpose. The real joy in Rotary comes from collaborating with diverse minds, pooling our resources, and brainstorming new ideas to tackle pressing issues in our communities and beyond.
The very first service project in Rotary history was about building "comfort stations" in Chicago? And no, we're not talking about cozy lounges or relaxation spots. These "comfort stations" were actually bathrooms! The idea was to attract more female shoppers to downtown Chicago by providing clean, accessible facilities for them.
Back in those days, the lack of public restrooms for women could be a real barrier to their participation in public life. By addressing this basic need, Rotary pioneers weren't just improving convenience—they were promoting both gender equality and economic development in their community.
The Rotary spirit is thinking outside the box and tackling problems head-on. Instead of simply accepting the status quo, these early Rotarians identified a problem and came up with a practical solution that benefited everyone.
Fast forward to today, and that same innovative spirit continues to drive Rotary clubs around the world. Whether it's building schools in underserved communities, providing clean water to remote villages, or promoting health and sanitation initiatives, Rotary remains committed to finding creative ways to make a positive impact.
Rotary isn't here to simply write checks and move on. We're here to collaborate on innovative solutions, get our hands dirty, and work together to make a real difference in the world.
CLUB SERVICE
CLUB INDUCTS 5 NEW MEMBERS
Our five new members are pictured here with their sponsors, as they they are being inducted by Pres. Laura.
We may have set a new club record at our meeting last Wednesday, when President Laura had the privilege of inducting FIVE (5) new members. They include, left-to-right in the photo above, John Cumiskey, sponsored by SarahVan Bourgondien, Joe Brown, sponsored by Don Schiller, Jane White, sponsored by Lisa Doherty, and Tiffany and Emmett Jones, sponsored by Art Harrington.
Welcome, new members!!
ON A SAD NOTE:
We have learned that Harold "Rusty" Parker, one of our club's longtime members, passed away on April 29. Rusty was a committed Rotarian, who took pride in his 30 years of perfect attendance. He faithfully served as our Prescott Sunup Club Secretary for a number of years. A Celebration of Life for Rusty will be held at the Mt. Vernon Church of Christ, 120 N. Mt. Vernon Street, here in Prescott on June 1st at 11:00 a.m.
COMMUNITY SERVICE
ALL-VETS MEMORIAL CLEANUP
Mayor Phil Goode observes the industrious work by Sunup Rotary members last Saturday morning, as we sanded, painted and did other work to maintain our All-Vets Memorial, located on the west side of the Courthouse Square in downtown Prescott. John Stewart coordinates and supervises this annual project.
TONTO SOUTH PARK CLEANUP
Later on Saturday morning, a smaller Sunup Rotary crew was at work in Prescott Valley. Here is Cassidy Stauffer's report on that project, which she organized and supervised:
"A huge thank you to Laura, Todd, and Cassidy from SunUp, and Nix and Ava from the BMHS Interact Club, for joining our Tonto South Park Cleanup! In just about an hour, we transformed the park, making it look better than ever. Moving forward, we’ve decided to start our cleanups a bit earlier—future events will be at 8:30 AM on the 3rd Saturday of each month. We need 2-3 volunteers for each cleanup, so mark your calendars and come help us keep our community beautiful!"
Our Tonto South Park adoption sign
A young Arab boy asks his father; “What is that strange head piece you
are wearing?” The father said: “Why, my son, it is a chechia,
In the desert it protects our heads from the intense heat of the sun.”
“And what is this clothing you are wearing,” asked the boy.
“This long flowing robe seems so strange.”
“Oh, my son,” exclaimed the father, “It is very simple. This is a djbellah.
As I have told you, in the desert it is not only very hot, but the
sand is always blowing. My djbellah protects the entire body.”
The son then asked; “But Father, what about those ugly shoes you have
on your feet?”
“These are babouches, my son,” the father replied. “You must understand
that although the desert sands are very beautiful, they are also
extremely hot. These babouches keep us from burning our feet.”
“So tell me then,” asked the boy, “Why are you living in Seattle, Washington and still wearing all that stuff?”
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I was working out in the gym when I noticed a man in street clothes watching me and others for about 20 minutes before leaving.
He came back a second day staying about 1/2 hour.
On the third day, I got enough courage to ask him, ”What’s going on here?”
He smiled and said, “I’m just following doctor’s orders. I have to go to the gym.”
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When people check behind shower curtains for murderers, what's the plan if they find one?
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So Daffy Duck and Elmer Fudd break into a distillery.
Daffy turns to Elmer and says, “Is this whiskey?
Elmer replies, “Yeth, but not as whiskey as wobbing a bank.
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Sometimes you win and sometimes you learn.
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